Magnolia
by Sebadoh
Summary: One day in Station Square, through fate and chance, the lives of Sonic, Amy, Tails, Shadow, Rouge and Big intersect and collide. A robbery, a love affair, a loss and a sky that promises rain. When the day is over, none of them will ever be the same.


**The basic inspiration for this story is Magnolia. If you know the big twist, do me a favor and don't ruin it. I might not even use it.**

* * *

In the New York Herald, November 26, year 1911, there is an account of the hanging of three men.

They died for the murder of Sir Edmund William Godfrey; Husband, Father, Pharmacist and all around gentle-man resident of: Greenberry Hill, London.

He was murdered by three vagrants whose motive was simple robbery.

They were identified as: Joseph Green, Stanley Berry, and Daniel Hill. Green, Berry, Hill.

**And I Would Like To Think This was Only A Matter Of Chance.**

As reported in the Reno Gazette, June of 1983 there is the story of a fire, the water that it took to contain the fire, and a scuba diver named Delmer Darion.

Employee of the Peppermill Hotel and Casino, Reno, Nevada. Engaged as a blackjack dealer. Well liked and well regarded as a physical, recreational and sporting sort, Delmer's true passion was for the lake.

As reported by the coroner, Delmer died of a heart attack somewhere between the lake and the tree. A most curious side note is the suicide the next day of Craig Hansen.

Volunteer firefighter, estranged father of four and a poor tendency to drink. Mr. Hansen was the pilot of the plane that quite accidentally lifted Delmer Darion out of the water.

Added to this, Mr. Hansen's tortured life met before with Delmer Darion just two nights previous. The weight of the guilt and the measure of coincidence so large, Craig Hansen took his life.

**And I Am Trying To Think This Was All Only A Matter Of Chance.**

The tale told at a 1961 awards dinner for the American Association Of Forensic Science by Dr. Donald Harper, president of the association, began with a simple suicide attempt. Seventeen-year-old Sydney Barringer. In the city of Los Angeles on March 23, 1958. The coroner ruled that the unsuccessful suicide had suddenly become a successful homicide. To explain: The suicide was confirmed by a note, left in the breast pocket of Sydney Barringer. At the same time young Sydney stood on the ledge of this nine-story building, an argument swelled three stories below.

The neighbors heard, as they usually did, the arguing of the tenants and it was not uncommon for them to threaten each other with a shotgun, or one of the many handguns kept in the house. And when the shotgun accidentaly went off, Sydney just happend to pass. Added to this, the two tenants turned out to be: Faye and Arthur Barringer. Sydney's mother and Sydney's father.

When confronted with the charge, which took some figuring out for the officers on the scene of the crime, Faye Barringer swore that she did not know that the gun was loaded. A young boy who lived in the building, sometimes a visitor and friend to Sydney Barringer, said that he had seen, six days prior, the loading of the shotgun.

It seems that the arguing and the fighting and all of the violence was far too much for Sydney Barringer, and knowing his mother and father's tendency to fight, he decided to do something.

Sydney Barringer jumps from the ninth floor rooftop. His parents argue three stories below. Her accidental shotgun blast hits Sydney in the stomach as he passes the arguing sixth-floor window. He is killed instantly but continues to fall, only to find, three stories below, a safety net installed three days prior for a set of window washers that would have broken his fall and saved his life if not for the hole in his stomach.

So Faye Barringer was charged with the murder of her son, and Sydney Barringer noted as an accomplice in his own death.

**And it is in the humble opinion of this narrator that this is not just "Something That Happened." **

**This cannot be "One of Those Things..." This, please, cannot be that. And for what I would like to say, I can't. **

**This Was Not Just A Matter Of Chance. **

**Ohhhh. These strange things happen all the time. **

* * *

**Slightly Overcast. 82-Percent-Chance of rain.**

* * *

**8:14 AM  
SONIC**

The ceiling fan greets me in the morning. Circling up above silently. The air conditioner hums to let me know that I have a big bill coming for leaving it on all night. I reach over and look at the phone. I didn't sleep through any calls. Relief. I press the pillow to my face and try to get back to sleep. No luck. Calling it quits, I put on my SOAP sneakers and head out the door. The walk down to the video store at the corner is quicker than to the shell station. They sell soda and candy and such. I buy a Pepsi and pretend to be really interested in the new Will Ferrell comedy.

The clerk behind the counter, a young guy with small spectacles that just look odd for his square face, looks me up and down. I go up to the counter to pay, and he opens his mouth.

"Sonic The Hedgehog. Yeah." I say, before he can even ask.

Embarrassed fan #1. I've been awake for 15 minutes.

**7:22 AM  
AMY**

Sphinx mews in my ear to tell me he wants some milk. I open my eyes and roll over, climbing off the bed. I was so tired last night I didn't even pull back the sheets. It's too hot in July here in the city anyway. I slide on my usual wear and pour him a saucer of milk. I'm out of 9-lives, so he'll have to settle for some basic BumbleBee until I can make a grocery trip.

I click on the phone and find a missed message from the Station Square blood center. I consult my calendar. Today at 4, I'm scheduled to give a fifth of my life essence so that some lucky soul with four gunshot wounds can maybe pull through long enough to end up in jail for gangbanging or something else. Ah, well. It's just the needle part that scares me. We've all heard the ghost stories. I put on the TV and pretend to get really interested in TV Land for about a half-hour, long enough to watch an episode of The Partridge Family. Don't laugh. We all watched it at some point.

**8:01 AM  
TAILS**

"I owe you about 15 cents." I tuck a Slim Jim behind my ear and open the Diet Coke bottle on my way out. The boss murmurs a reluctant agreement. Like he won't just take it as an excuse to chew my ass off tonight. I took this night job hoping to make a few extra bucks here and there... and I got stuck on third shift. 11 PM to 8 AM, five days a week. What a drag. I've been robbed twice in the past three months. Same guy.

Without my usual supply of spare pocket change, now that I've indulged, I have to dig out my wallet to pay for a paper at the newsstand. I would have gotten one at the A/P, but we only carry Newsweek, Tabloids and SportsCenter NP. The weather says 82-percent-chance of rain. As I read this, with dramatic irony, the clouds above get a bit darker.

**8:19 AM  
BIG**

Froggy and I have a lot of plans today. The paper said rain, that means a lot of things inland, including the biggest, juiciest Sturgeon and Chub you can find. Fishing pole in one hand, Froggy under the other, I juggle the two DVDs I rented on the way in. I drop them in the slot. Rick behind the counter looks like he's seen a ghost. "You'll never guess who was in here again." He says.

"Who?" I ask, looking at the back of some movie called Good Night And Good Luck. The blurb looks interesting. Froggy sets himself down at my feet and licks at the condensation on the ice cream freezer.

"Sonic The Hedgehog. He's becoming a regular."

"Yeah, I guess... he's a nice guy, but why so happy over it, Rick?"

"Well, he is a hero."

"Aren't we all?" I don't rent the movie. It's in Black and White. These are good for putting me to sleep when the springs get a bit lumpy. I've been sleeping fine. Froggy hops back up when I snap my fingers. "Well, Froggy and I gotta lot to do today, so I'll see you."

**7:55 AM  
ROUGE**

"Fix the water heater." I grumble, looking at the SS Utilities man in his gray jumpsuit, standing in a wet towel with wet fur and wet everything. I was halfway through soaping up when I realized the water wasn't heating up.

He taps his clipboard. "I already told you. The problem must be electrical. We don't control the water heater, just the water itself."

"Well, you're the same company. There must be something wrong with the power then. Fix that."

As if this is his way of getting in character, he actually puts on a different hat.

I dry off what I can and what I can try. I'm already late for early breakfast.

**7:50 AM  
SHADOW**

I show up for breakfast at the iHop wondering if Rouge will show up late or blow me off. It's always one or the other. Something tells me the former is to be expected. I ask for Orange Juice I don't want and get a few odd looks from a nice family of oddballs in the booth next door. Of all the places I could sit.

"What's wrong with that man, mommy?"

"Shut up."

Wow, wonderful parenting skills. I chuckle to myself and conceal it by pretending to yawn. One of the kids acts up and flings whipped cream from his pancakes. Dad roars. "You better stop! Want me to put a bang-shang on you?"

Then the mother chimes in. Good cop. Bad cop. "Sweetie, now, Charlie, don't act up. Remember, we're trying to avoid all that kaka mess."

What an onomatopoeic family here. Don't put a bang-shang on them, dad. They might kaka later in life.

And then the door opens and I hear the sounds.

**8:04 AM  
TAILS**

I fold the newspaper at the newsstand and buy another Diet Coke. This stuff's murder for my complexion, but it's okay. I'm maybe a bit too young to break out too badly. Shadow walks towards me. I try and be friendly.

"Hey, Shadow."

He's carrying a bag from iHop and looking oddly... distant, but pleased.

"Hello, Prower." He says softly.

I try to make small talk.

"iHop, hmm? Get anything good?"

"Actually, Rouge stood me up for breakfast... well, at least I didn't stick around to see."

As we talk, two blue and white SSPD cars pass us. Their sirens are on, lights flashing. An ambulance is in tow. Shadow watches them go by with a soft, knowing smile. Then he looks back at me.

"Well, I must be going." He says.

"Nice talking to you."

"I suppose."

**7:57 AM  
ROUGE**

I land in front of the restaurant. Hopefully, Shadow is still waiting...

What am I saying? I'm Rouge.

Ha.

Ha.

He'll wait for hours for me.

I have my hand on the door to the restaurant. I barely have time to open it before.  
Before what?

I hear the shots. Somebody screams.

Two more gunshots. I duck down and cover my ears. Finally, everything is quiet. Quiet except for the sound of somebody's little girl crying.

I can see Shadow inside. He approaches the counter. He has a gun in his hand. He picks up a paper sack laying on the floor and steps over a dead body on his way out. He doesn't see me, I've already dove into the bushes. I guess I wasn't too late after all... is this his way of punishing me?

I take out my cellphone and call the police. I've seen my share of bloodshed, but Shadow? SHADOW? It's not... it's not kosher.

"911 Emergency."

"Yes, there's been a shooting..."

Blah blah  
are you injured?

Blah blah send  
somebody right away

blah blah  
make a statement

lights  
camera  
action

I don't stick around and wait for the show.

**8:25 AM  
SONIC**

I realize that I missed something while I was asleep. More crime.

More violence.

I lay back down. I'm not tired enough to nap, but it helps.

I am sick of this.

Being the hero. Everybody counts on me. And I slept through a damned robbery.

What was I supposed to do? Get up, run, fight, save the day?

For what? More crime happens. I can't be everywhere at once.

I am tired.

**8:03 AM  
AMY**

They interrupt the program.

The next episode, that is.

They interrupt to talk about a robbery in progress.

Wait, new information. The situation is stabile.

They shove the camera and mic in the face of some stupid employee that blubbers about Manager Tom.

His best friend. His boss. His co-worker. His paycheck.

What happened, sir?

Somebody shot him... it all happened so fast.

If the robber is dead at the scene, what happened to the money?

**7:53 AM  
SHADOW**

The door opens. A small, green-furred fox with dark eyes and a bad complexion enters. He wastes no time in shoving some poor guy face-first to the floor. He has a gun in his hand. The lever is back. He points it around the iHop. Everybody is suddenly quiet. He waves it at the man in the blue vest that everybody calls Manager Tom.

"Fill it up." He tosses a brown paper bag at Manager Tom.

Manager Tom nods and cleans out both drawers quickly. Somebody tries to protest. The fox turns and fires a shot. It sails over their head and shatters a coffee pitcher. The hot coffee splashes over somebody.

They scream. He laughs.

The bag is offered, he shakes his head and snarls. "The safe too, you fat bastard..." Behind him, somebody with a bad antagonistic complex reaches into their pocket. He doesn't notice. His back is to them. The safe is opened, money and change and receipts and coin rolls scraped out into the bag. Finally, the fox has what he came for. He turns in time to see the other gun.

The bell dings. Somebody else is about to come in.

Gunshot. His chest explodes, dotting the clean, soft tiles with blood. His gun goes off. The would-be-hero customer is hit. His gun fires twice, in his death throes. He falls face-first into his plate of pancakes and sausage. The bullets hit poor old Manager Tom, blowing his head to pieces. Everybody is suddenly too... too too... damn quiet. The little girl from the family I told you about starts crying. I sigh and stand up. Everybody has their head down. Two old women nearby have fainted. I look back at the door.

Whoever was trying to come in decided it wasn't a good idea. I reach down and pry the gun out of the fox's hand. I drop it in the paper bag with all the money, roll up the top, and drop it into an iHop takeout bag. I walk out the door.

**8:45 AM  
BIG**

Froggy and I find our favorite spot by the bay. I brace the fishing cane pole across my knees.

Froggy takes a little dip and his tongue darts out suddenly, capturing a summer fly.

The air is muggy and humid. Still, I put on my favorite straw hat and wait.

The flat rock takes the sun in and absorbs the heat. I don't mind much.

Today's going to be a good day.

* * *


End file.
